“I'm proud of our guys, that was a good win.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “Hunter got us into the game, made a mistake early and (Collin) Fleischer (VMI) can hit, he drove that ball out of here but Hunter settled in.  Offensively, we put four on the board the next half inning.  Hunter getting into a little bit of a mess in the fourth was unfortunate.  We ran some balls out of the ballpark, we had some good at bats, putting another four-spot on the board was huge.  Putting up a zero in the fifth, then having (Andrew) Wantz go out and strike out six-in-a-row, I don't know if I've seen that before. We saw some things today we don't see too often, including back-to-back home runs.  Moritz's catch in the top of the third was amazing.  Then coming up in the bottom half of the inning and shoot the ball the other way kind of got us going.  That catch got us going, with the runner on second, that was a big play.”

Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) led the Spartans with a 3-for-5 performance including an RBI and two runs scored.  Moritz also flashed the leather, making a diving catch in the top of the third inning, before leading off a four-run rally in the bottom of the frame.

Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) also posted a three-hit effort and scored one run.  Michael Goss added a pair of hits as well.  UNCG also had four hitters hit home runs in the contest.  Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC), Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville), Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside) and Cesar Trejo (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) all went yard on Friday night. 

L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) finished with a double, two RBI and a run scored, while Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) added a hit, a run, and an RBI in the contest as all nine starters had at least one hit in the game. 

The UNCG pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts of the heavy hitting Keydets on Friday night.  VMI entered the night second in the NCAA in team home runs with 42 on the year.  Hunter Smith (Whiteville, N.C./Whiteville) (4-0) started and went 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs while striking out five.

Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) and Ben Kerner (Cary, N.C./Brunswick CC) provided the knock out punches, striking out nine hitters over the last 3.1 innings. 

VMI took a lead in the top of the first inning.  With two outs, Collin Fleischer hit his eighth home run of the season to right center to give the Keydets a 1-0 lead.

UNCG took the lead in the bottom of the third frame.  Moritz singled to start the frame and stole second.  Kalawaia dropped a double down the left field line to bring in Moritz to tie the game at one.  After a single from Woody put runners on the corners, Stewart drove in Kalawaia on a deep fly ball to left.  Sigmon added an exclamation point, drilling his second home run to right field to put UNCG up 4-1.

The Keydets responded in the top of the next inning, scoring three runs.  A pair of hit by pitches and a walk loaded the bases, as VMI used a single, a ground out, and a wild pitch to tie the game up at four.

The Spartans regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs.  Spitznagel led off getting hit by a pitch, and stole second base.  Moritz hit his team-leading fifth triple of the season, scoring Spitznagel.  Kalawaia drew a walk and stole second base to put runners on scoring position for Woody.  Woody lined out to left but deep enough to bring in Moritz.  Stewart added the exclamation point, drilling his team-leading eighth home run of the year, a no-doubter to left center to put the Spartans up 8-4.

UNCG added to its lead in the bottom of the seventh.  Kusz and Trejo went hit back-to-back home runs to increase the lead to 10-4.

The Spartans and Keydets will face off Saturday, April 2^nd at 2:00 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.

-UNCG-